


There's always room for Jell-O

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy), FinditAgain



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Competitiveness, Drinking, Drinking Games, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff, Idiots in Love, In canon though, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, college party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26688679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell, https://archiveofourown.org/users/FinditAgain/pseuds/FinditAgain
Summary: “But one is clearly better,” Jace remarked. “So which one is it Simon?”“Really, they’re both good,” Simon insisted.Raphael and Jace looked unimpressed with the answer, but Simon didn’t want to pick between the two of them, and it had nothing to do with the flavors.
Relationships: Raphael Santiago/Jace Wayland, Simon Lewis/Jace Wayland, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago/Jace Wayland
Comments: 8
Kudos: 130





	There's always room for Jell-O

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collab for the Hunter's Moon Discord september scavenger hunt. 
> 
> BytheAngell: it was a lot of fun! [@bytheangell on Tumblr](https://bytheangell.tumblr.com/)
> 
> FinditAgain: had a blast with Elle and these three idiots in love! [@finditagain24 on Tumblr](https://finditagain24.tumblr.com/)

Simon would be turning twenty-one years old today, if he was still alive.

Being an undead student wasn’t so bad for a Daylighter. He still got to go to classes and was technically on track to graduate. He got to frequent coffee shops and had a standing gig at one of the bars near school.

But though he was both going to college _and_ constantly living through supernatural events that could count for at least three lifetimes (including an outright shadow world war) there were still things Simon had yet to encounter.

Mainly the quintessential young adult experience of going to a college house party with his friends.

It wasn’t really something that kept him up at night but he did make one silly, off-hand comment to Clary and Jace about how they were probably missing out on a well spent youth. When he tried to laugh it off, Jace got this strange look in his eyes.

Next thing he knew, Jace was throwing him a birthday party, Raphael was helping him plan it, and Magnus was looking out at his crowded apartment in unfiltered disgust. Simon could tell that this type of party wasn’t really Magnus’ style, seeing as the penthouse was glamoured to look like a dark grimy basement filled with people, the perfect setting for sweat and bad decisions.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Maia pulled him towards her makeshift bar as soon as he was fully through the apartment door, “he’s the one who insisted on the slip and slide.”

He caught sight of it on the other end of the room, marveling at how authentically grungy everything looked. There was even a foosball table and a few bean bags tossed around the floor.

Izzy was at the bar waiting for them, leaning against it with a glass in her hand. She immediately swept him into a strong embrace, cheerfully yelling “Happy Birthday!” into his ear.

“Okay, first shot of the night,” Maia handed him a shot glass filled with an amber colored liquid with spots of red floating inside, “blood infused tequila.”

“Can you believe Raphael figured out how to combine all this with blood,” Izzy exclaimed.

He could, in Simon’s mind there was little Raphael couldn't do when he really wanted to. It gave him a warm feeling in his chest to think of Raphael doing it for _him_. He just hoped that the sticky floors were more for ambiance and less about the questionable substances that Downworlders liked to drink.

Izzy took her own drink in hand and clinked it against his glass, quickly downing her shot. “Salud!”

“Wait,” he paused with his hand in mid motion. “If Raphael was helping with the drinks, where is he? And where’s Jace?”

“They’re prepping something in the back,” Maia rolled her eyes, “and they’re taking forever to decide on some stuff.”

“Oh,” he said, trying to disguise the disappointment in his voice. He expected to start the night out with them, get a chance to thank them for the party. Maybe even get one or both of them to dance with him.

“More like they’re both being very stupid,” Izzy snorted, shaking her head when Simon sent her a questioning look.

He finally took his first shot of the night, grimacing when he felt a slight burn as the alcohol went down his throat.

Izzy cheerfully ushered him towards a dim corner of the apartment, where there was a group dancing. People came up to hug and congratulate him, all while the music blasted through the space at an almost uncomfortable level. He saw a couple of werewolves wincing at the noise, their heightened hearing would be causing most of them major headaches in the morning.

“Simon,” a deep voice called out through the commotion. He spinned around and saw Raphael walking towards him. His smile turned fond when he noticed the tailored black suit the other vampire was wearing. He should have known that Raphael would never even attempt college casual.

“Here,” Raphael said in lieu of a greeting, shoving a tray of small cups filled with Jell-O shots under his nose.

“Um. Thanks,” he took one in hand, noticing that the red of the Jell-O was a lot darker than he’d ever seen it. “What’s in them?”

“They’re filled with pure plasma, so go easy on them.”

He nodded before lifting the little cup to his mouth and slurping the shot in one go. There wasn’t a way to drink or even really chew Jell-O but it still tasted like plasma always did, rich and sweet.

“It’s good,” he said.

He received a pleased look for his praise, Raphae’s lips lifting at the corners in his version of a gratified smile.

Out of nowhere, Jace popped up on his other side with a tray of the exact same cups, but these were filled with a different colored Jell-O. They were all green.

“Red ones are kind of cloyingly sweet aren’t they?” Jace said as he took the empty cup from Simon’s hand and flicked it over his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye Simon could see Raphael’s smile turn into a stern glare. Really, Jace should know by now that Raphael hated clutter.

“Try this one,” Jace offered up the tray of green shots with a flourish of his hand, grinning impishly at Simon. His face looked very endearing, so Simon took one without question, pinching the plastic container and swallowing another shot of Jell-O.

“The red ones are clearly the superior flavor when mixed with blood, right Simon?” Raphael seemed to hold him in place with the intensity of his stare. “Some pig headed Nephlims of course wouldn’t know this.”

Now Jace was the one to frown, turning steely mis-matched eyes towards Raphael.

“I- they’re both good,” Simon said, suddenly uncertain of what was happening around him.

“But one is clearly better,” Jace remarked. “So which one is it Simon?”

“For heaven's sake,” he heard Maia mutter somewhere in the background.

Honestly, he didn’t even like Jell-O. Plus, Simon barely drank alcohol in high school, more interested in playing with his band at parties than actually participating in that particular ritual. And now as a college man, going to a party and mixing blood into red solo cups would not go unnoticed and probably get him accused of performing ritual sacrifices on campus.

Meaning that he wasn’t even sure if there was supposed to be a difference between one color or the other. But both men were looking at him expectantly. Jace wearing a grin filled with promise, eyes determined. Raphael watching him carefully, his mouth set in a thin firm line.

“Really, they’re both good!” Simon insisted.

Raphael and Jace looked unimpressed with the answer, but Simon didn’t want to pick between the two of them, and it had nothing to do with the flavors.

“Maybe you just need to try them again,” Jace suggested, a devious glint to his eyes as he motioned to his tray of small cups.

“I thought you said I should take it slow,” Simon pointed out, eyeing them warily. He didn’t feel anything just yet, though, and it was his birthday. Another shot or two probably wouldn’t hurt…

“Simon’s right,” Raphael was quick to cut in. “You have all night to enjoy. What about the rest of the party? Any games you want to partake in?”

Simon missed the way Jace’s eyes darted to a game of beer pong along the side of the room while Raphael’s went to a corner with an oversized jenga set-up and a small table with a deck of cards or drinking games.

“It’s all amazing,” Simon said, and again noticed the way neither of them seemed pleased with his generalized enthusiasm. “I mean it. I can’t imagine how much work you two must’ve put into this, and it really means a lot. Thank you, guys.”

“Of course, Si,” Jace said. “I like to think all that time around you and Clary hasn’t gone to waste and I got a pretty good read on what you like,” he added with a wink.

Not to be one-upped, Raphael quickly added, “And if you think of anything you want that isn’t here, tell me and I can make it happen.” When they both give him a questioning look Raphael only shrugged. “I have a few favors I can call in with Magnus,” he explained simply.

Simon still couldn’t believe this was all for him.

Simon noted that Jace, with his blonde hair the perfect amount of messy to be obviously intentional, with ripped jeans just a fraction too tight and a white t-shirt under an open hoodie, looked every part the frat boy Simon would expect a mundane Jace to be. The thought made him laugh.

“What?” Jace asked.

“Nothing. Just imagining you like, practically running a frat house looking like that. Next thing I know there are going to be keg stands,” Simon observed, and shouldn’t have been surprised when Jace smirked.

“Oh, there will be,” Jace promised. "Also I think Izzy had way too much time forcing me to shop for this outfit, so most of the thanks goes to her. I just pull it off flawlessly."

Simon laughed again, then noticed Raphael glancing down at his own suit with a frown on his face. "Perhaps I should change..." Raphael muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

"But I love you in those sui-," Simon started quickly, then realized what he said and added, "I mean, uh, you always look great. You don't need to change."

Simon got the feeling that, if Raphael could blush, he would be right then, because the vampire turned away slightly at the compliment before looking back to Simon.

“If you insist,” Raphael said.

Simon nodded. “I do. In fact,” he glanced over at the trays of plasma-infused jello shots and took one of each again, needing a little not-quite-liquid courage. “I also insist it’s time to dance.”

“Okay-”

“Alright-”

Jace and Raphael both agreed at the same time, then stopped, giving each other a strange look.

Simon glanced between them. “Well?” He prompted.

“You go,” Raphael muttered to Jace.

“What?” Simon asked. Was he reading this all wrong? He thought maybe the two of them growing this party, working together, meant they realized how much he liked them. He thought this might be their way of showing him they both cared, too. For a few days, Simon allowed himself to hope that what he wanted most for his birthday might not be entirely out of reach… but now he wasn’t so sure.

“No, both of you! C’mon,” Simon added, frowning when neither of them made an immediate move to follow him over to the small area set aside for terrible drunken dancing by the speakers. “Please?”

For a moment he thought they might say no. Some silent communication seemed to pass between Raphael and Jace during the quick look they shared, and behind the two of them Maia looked like she absolutely wanted to chime in with something and was barely managing to hold herself back.

"How are we supposed to say no to that face?" Jace relented. "Let's go, Raphael. Time to see if you have room to move in that suit of yours."

Jace led him by the hand while he grabbed Raphael by the wrist, settling into the dance space linked together like a chain. Simon’s whole body seemed to tingle when the three of them started dancing together. Jace at his front, firmly grasping Simon by his waist and pulling him close. Raphael behind him, the warmth of his chest settling against Simon’s back as he took hold of his hips.

His dancing skills were more of the flailing variety, but Raphael’s body was clearly attuned with the music since he moved them with grace. Even though he was starting to feel kind of dizzy, there was such a feeling of contentment that came from being in Raphael’s hold. It made him want to lean back against the older man and close his eyes.

He didn't though, because in front of him Jace had quickly adapted to Raphael’s lead and was moving in front of him like a dream. Every step he made looked effortless, and his eyes never strayed away from Simon’s.

With the heat radiating between all of them as they moved in sync, Simon was sure that this had to be in his Top 3 in Birthday rankings. Neck and neck with that time his Dad took him to Disney World.

“Woo!” the moment was interrupted by something unceremoniously hitting him in the face.

“Is that a bra?” Jace said in disbelief. Simon took hold of the piece and immediately recognized it.

“Happy birthday Simon!” Clary yelled from the top of a table where she was dancing with Izzy, red cup in hand and a wild look in her eyes. “I love you _so much_.”

“I love you too,” he yelled, feeling incredibly light, like everything around him was just as it should be.

“I think someone’s finally feeling the alcohol,” Raphael smirked. He had such a nice mouth.

“You have a really nice mouth,” he told him, earning a smile from said mouth.

He heard a slight growl to his front, but when he turned towards Jace his face was blank. His jawline looked nice though.

“Your face could cut glass,” he told him, because why not? They both laughed together, a sound that Simon was going to bottle up and use for every single song from now on.

“We should go play something,” the blond said, and promptly dragged Simon towards the side of the room where they were playing beer bong.

After that it was all kind of a blur. They played a game with Bat and Alec. He couldn’t remember who won but he did remember the feel of Jace’s breath on his neck as he helped Simon line up a shot. Then Raphael invited him to play a round of _Asshole_ , placing Simon right next to him in the circle. He could only recall Clary joining them and whooping loudly every time Simon losed a round and had to drink, and the heat of Raphael’s thigh against his own.

He was feeling loose and cheery when everyone gathered around in a semicircle.

“Time to blow out the candles,” Maia exclaimed, rolling out a trolley covered with a red sheet.

“It’s a bloody red velvet cake,” Raphael said with a smirk, standing to Simon’s left.

Simon gaped at him incredulously. “Did you just make a _joke_?”

“You did,” said Jace, grinning at Raphael from Simon’s right. Raphael shrugged, looking kind of smug.

“Well,” Jace leaned forward into Simon’s space, tone excited. “There’s also pie.”

“Oh yeah,” Raphael said, unconcerned. “Do you want cake or do you want pie?”

“I-” Simon looked at him then and at Jace, once more waiting for him to make some sort of choice.

Oh no, they had to be fucking kidding. “That’s _it_.”

“We’ll be right back,” he told the other guests as he grabbed them both by their lapels and dragged them towards the balcony.

He turned to them as soon as they were alone, something desperate pulsing under his skin. Maybe it was all the alcohol, or maybe it was these two incredible men in front of him glowing like something ethereal under the light of the moon. Whatever it was he let it take control of his mouth when he blurted out, “So I guess it wasn't clear, but I like you. Like _really_ like you.”

“...which one of us?” Jace and Raphael asked at the same time.

“ _BOTH OF YOU!”_ Simon said, a bit louder than he intended to. He lowered his voice again. “I like both of you, and I thought when you both threw me this party maybe we were all on the same page, and the two of you seemed to be getting along lately until this whole weird rivalry thing happened all night.” The words tumbled out of Simon’s mouth in a rush before he could think twice about them.

Jace and Raphael shared a look as they realized how badly they messed this up by turning it into a competition.

“Wait right here,” Raphael said suddenly to Simon, motioning for Jace to follow him back inside. Simon did, watching as they went over to Magnus, spoke for a few moments, and came back out to the balcony with a plate held between them.

On it was a slice of what looked to be a cherry pie baked _inside of_ a red velvet cake.

Simon saw it, realized what it meant, and laughed. “So no more choosing?”

“No more choosing,” Jace said Raphael confirmed, handing the plate to Simon as Jace moved to Simon’s left and Raphael to his right, leaning in to kiss him on either cheek at the same time.

Now Simon was positive that this was his best birthday yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Simon is legal here, and also a vampire, please drink responsibly.


End file.
